Label brushing device



May 24, 1938- c. scHMUTzER E'T Ax. 2,118,527

LABEL BRUSHING DEVICE May 24, 1938. c, SCHMUTZER ET AL. 2,118,527

LABEL BRUSHING DEVI CE Filed Sept. 26, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet v2 May 24, 1938- c. scHMuTzER ET Al.

'LABEL BRUSHING DEVICE Filed Sept.. 26, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS dlfurllmzrad,

Zezmmulzef all BY v Patented May 24, 1938 UNHTED STATES LABEL BRUSHENG DEVICE Charles Schmutzer, lrvington, and Kart liffie of New `tersey Apfiiieation September 26, i935, Seriai No. 453,218

14 Claims.

This invention relates to label brushing devices and hasparticular reference to devices for brushing or wiping down adhesive labels upon the surface of a container such as a bottle, although the invention is not limited to that use.

The bristle brush and roller types of label brushing devices employed on labelling machines for bottles or other containers are usually positively-actuated in timed. relation to the moving container, and if the container is over-size or under-size or if the labels are not properly posin tioned thereon by the label picker, the label is improperly applied and is frequently disarranged,

Hcrumpled or torn.

15"' In accordance with the present invention, a label brushing device is provided in which the label-brushing or wiping down action is effected in accordance with the movement of the convtainer, which controls the application of the brushing device to the label and the proper degree of pressure on the label to procure a smooth and uniform application thereof.

The invention comprises an attachment for a conventional container-labelling machine, such as a bottle-labelling machine, which may be substituted in place of the usual label.brushing or wiping mechanism without material change in the machine. It consists of a plurality of pivoted radial arms rotating about a vertical aXis in timed relation with the container-conveying mechanism of the labelling machine and so posi tioned at one side of the path of travel of the container that as the arms rotate, their ends are swung into the path of movement of the containers in position for resilient contact with the leading surfaces thereof.

Resiliently pivoted on the end of each of these arms is a pivoted holder carrying a guide and a label-engaging brush, preferably a bristle brush. The guide is brought into engagement with the surface of the bottle before the brush engages the latter, so as to swing the holder about its pivot and move the brush into engagement with one trailing end of the label approximately at the point of tangency thereof with the surface of the container. As the bottle and the corresponding arm of the brushing device move together, the holder moves about its pivot as the guide' automatically follows the curvature of the container and advances the brush over the label toward the corresponding trailing end thereof, so `that that end of the label is wiped down smoothly and with uniform resilient pressure. As the brush reaches the end of the label in its Abrushing or wiping-down movement, the con- (Cl. 21S-59) tainer has advanced to a point where h e brush lifted radially from the label while its guide still engages the container, so that there is no reverse movement of the brush over the label which might disarrange it. Further movement of the container results in disengagement of the guide therefrom.

At approximately the time that one end of the label has been wiped down in the manner described, a second label-brushing device, similarly constructed but located at the opposite side of the path of travel of the container, engages the container with its guide to effect resilient engagement of the corresponding brush with the label approximately at the point of tangency of the remaining trailing end of the label with the surface of the container. Again, as the arm of this second labehbrushing device moves in timed re lation with the container, the corresponding brush is moved over the surface of the label to ward its remaining end, guided by the correspending guide engaging the surface of the container, so that the remaining end of the label is lapped over the previously brushed other end of the label and the labelebrushing operation is completed. As the second brush reaches the overlapped end of the label for. securing it in place, the movement of the container is such that the brush is lifted from the label before its guide disengages the container, so that there can be no reverse movement of the brush which may disarrange the label. As the container advances further, the guide of this second label-brushing device disengages the container.

It will be seen that with this arrangement, a very effective and simple device is provided for brushing previously moistened or gummed labels on containers with smoothness and uniform, re silient pressure, the action of which is responsive to the relative movement between the container and the device as determined by the corresponding brush gui-de. Preferably the guide does not engage the label but an adjacent part of the sur face of the container, so as not to mar or dis arrange the label. Also, the device is not limited to brushing labels which are overlapped at their ends but may be used with equal facility on body labels for bottles and other containers which do not encircle the bottle, and the like. Also, in cases where more than one label is to be applied to a container, such as a neck-band and a necklabel for a bottle, two or more brushes with their corresponding guides may be placed at different levels on the supporting and actuating means.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a vertical section through the new label-brushing device of this invention, as seen along the line I-I of Fig. 2, as applied to a machine for securing a neck-band and a neck-label to a bottle, such as a beverage bottle;

Fig. 2 illustrates a partial horizontal section of two label-brushing devices of this invention, as seen along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, one for securing one end of the label to the surface of the bottle and the other for securing the overlapping end of the label to the bottle;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, as seen along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and illustrates the arrangement of the neck-band brush and its guide;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section as seen along the line 4--4 of Fig. 1, and illustrates the arrangement of the neck-label brush and its guide; and

Fig. 5 illustrates diagrammatically the labelbrushing action of the device of this invention.

As is indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, located at opposite sides of the path of travel I of the bottles B of a conventional labelling machine, are two turrets driven by shafts II and II, the former being located outside of the path of travel I0 of the bottles B and the latter being located inside of that path, but at a point in advance of shaft II'. Shafts II and II' are geared or otherwise positively connected to the bottle-conveying mechanism, so as to rotate in timed relation with the movement of the bottles B as the latter are advanced by their conveying mechanism, including the table I2 of the labelling machine (Fig. 1). Inasmuch as the inside and outside labelbrushing devices are identical in construction, a description of the former will suice.

Keyed on the shaft II of the inside labelbrushing device is a spider I3 having a hub I 4 and upper and lower horizontal webs I and I6, respectively. Extending vertically between these upper and lower webs I5 and I6 and connected to the hub I4 by radial ribs I1, are three equallyspaced sleeves I8, in each of which is journalled a stub shaft I9. A bushing 20 is interposed between each stub shaft I9 and its sleeve I8.

On the upper end of each stub shaft I'9 is journalled an upper or neck-band brush arm 2 I, held in place by a collar 22 secured on the reduced upper end of stub shaft I9 by pin 23. Journalled on the lower end of each stub shaft I9 is a lower or neck-label brush arm 24, held in place by a collar 25 secured on the reduced lower end of the stub shaft I9 by pin 26. Each `upper arm 2| is urged in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 2, by a coil spring 21 connected at one end to an eye 28 on the upper web I5 of spider I3 and at the other end to an extension 29 on the inner end of arm 2|. Each lower arm 24 is urged in counterclockwise direction by a spring 30 connected at one end to an eye 3I on the lower web I6 of the spider I3 and at the other end to an extension 32 on lower arm 24.

The movement of the upper arm 2| in the counterclockwise direction under the iniiuence of spring 21 is limited by an adjustable stop 33 engaging web I5 and carried by a second extension 34 on the arm 2I. Similarly, the movement rof the lower arm 24 in a counterclockwise direction under the iniluence of spring 30 is limited by a stop 35 adjustably mounted in a secondextension 36 on lower arm 24 and engaging the lower web I6 of spider I3. The positions of arms 2I and 24 may be adjusted relatively to each other and to the spider I3 by adjusting respective stops 33 and 35, depending upon requirements. The stops 33 and 35 are locked in any adjusted position by corresponding set screws 33 and 35.

A pin 31 journalled in the free end of each upper arm 2| carries a holder 38, which is urged in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 2, by a spring 39 connected at one end to screw 40 on arm 2I and at its other end to an extension 42 on holder 38, which also serves to limit the movement of holder 38 by spring 39 by engagement with an adjustable stop 43 on arm 2|. Stop 43 is adjustable to initially position holder 38 and is locked in adjusted position by set screw 43.

Clamped to the outer lateral face of holder 38 by means of clamp 44 is a bristle brush 45, which is concave so that its bristles 46 conform to the curvature of the neck of the bottle B at the point Where the neck-band NB encircles the neck of the bottle B (Fig. 3). Secured to the upper surface of holder 38 is an arcuate guide 41, spaced circumferentially from brush 45 and shaped to conform to the curvature of the bead C ,of .the bottle B (Fig. 1). The guide 41 and the brush 45 are so arranged with respect to each other and with respect to the pivot pin 31 of the holder 38, that when the guide 41 engages the bead C .of the bottle B the bristles 46 of the brush 45 engage the neck-band NB with a firm pressure, which is maintained constant during its brushing action, as is indicated in Fig. 3.

Similarly, a holder 48 secured to pin 49 is journalled in the free end of each lower arm 24. Holder 48 is urged in a clockwise direction by a spring 50 connected at one end to a screw 5I on arm 24 and at the other end to a screw 52 on holder 48. A brush 53, inclined vertically and curved laterally so that its bristles 54 conform to the curvature of the neck of the bottle at the point where the neck label NL encircles the bottle B, is clamped to holder 48 by meansof clamp 55 (Figs. l and 4). A guide 56 is secured to the under-side of holder 4B and is also shaped to conform to the curvature of the neck of the bottle B at a point below that at which the neck label YNL encircles the neck of the bottle. As shown in Fig. 4, guide 56 is spaced circumferentially from the brush 53 and the brush 53 and the guide .5S are so located with respect to each other and with respect to the pivot pin 49 of holder 48, that the bristles 54 engage the neck-label NL with a uniform pressure throughout the movement of the brush 53 during its brushing action.

Inasmuch as the mode of operation of the neckband brushing device and the neck-label brushing device are identical, the operation of the neck-band brushing device, which is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 5, will sufiice. The essential parts of the outside brushing device .are designated by numerals 31', 45' and 441 in the several diagrams of Fig. 5 to distinguish them from the corresponding parts of the inside brushing device.

As the bottle B is advanced along the table I2 by its conveying means, which is geared to the shafts II and II', the ends of the neck-band NB trail substantially parallel, as is indicated in diagram I of Fig. 5, which is the position in which they were left by the conventional spaced brushes which lay the center part of the band over the leading surface of the neck of the bottle B. In this movement of bottle B, driving shaft II of the outside label brushing device moves one of its upper arms 2| into the path of movement I0 of the bottle B, so that the guide 41 engages the bead C of the bottle B before the pin 31 is fulcrumed by its guide 41 in a radial' direction into engagement with the neck-band NB at the approximate point of tangency of the outside trailing end of the band NB without any oscillating movement, as is indicated in diagram 1I of Fig. 5.

During this joint movement of the bottle B and the arm 2i', guide 41 follows the curvature of the head C of the bottle B and advances brush 45 around the neck of the bottle in a direction which is generally opposite to the direction of movement of the bottle B, so that neck-band NB is wiped down progressively with a pressure which is uniform and resilient, being determined jointly by the guide 41 and the spring 39. This action is shown in diagram III of Fig. 5.

Further movement of the bottle B and the arm 2| causes the brush 45 to be advanced to the end of the label, as is indicated in diagram IV of Fig. 5, at which point the arm 2l and bottle B begin to move away from each other, so that the increasing distance between the bottle B and the shaft Il causes brush 45 to be lifted from the neck-band NB, moving about guide 41 as a fulcrum, as is indicated in diagram V of Fig. 5. It will be observed that this movement of the brush away from neck-band4 NB is substantially radial or normal with respect to the surface of the neck of the bottle, so that there is no reverse movement of the brush which might crumple or disarrange the neck-band. Still further relative movement between the arm 2| and the bottle B causes release of the guide 41' from the bottle B, the outward position of the guide 41 being limited by the stop 43 on arm 2|.

Approximately at the time that the outside brushing device completes its operation of wiping down the outside end of the neck-band, the drive shaft i I of the inside brushing device moves one of its arms 2l into the path of movement I0 of the bottle B, so that the corresponding guide 41 engages the bead C of the bottle B. As the arm 2| and the bottle B move together the brush 45 is moved radially into engagement with the inside `trailing end of the neck-band B at the approx- 'manner illustrated in diagramsV and VI of Fig. K 5, diagram VI illustrating the overlapping of the inside end of the neck-band on the previously brushed outside end of the neck-band NB. Also, as the bottles B and the arm 2| begin to move away from each other, the arm 2l is stopped by engagement of stop 33 with web l 5 and the brush 45 is lifted substantially radially away from the neck-band NB, moving about guide 4l as a fulcrum, which temporarily remains in contact with the container as is indicated in diagram VII of Fig. 5, so that there is no reverse movement of the brush 45 to crumple or disarrange the label. Upon further relative movement between the arm ZI and the bottle B, guide 41 is withdrawn from the bottle B.

It will be seen that outside and inside label brushing devices have, in effect, a left and right movement, whereby the ends of a label may be overlapped with a uniform resilient brushing action, which is determined by the movement of the bottle, since it is that movement which causes the advance of the brush over the label to wipe it down as the brush is guided by the corresponding guide. Also, the arms El and 24, being resiliently mounted, accordingly urge `the corresponding brush and guide resiliently against the bottle or other container with a uniform pressure, while at the same time accommodating variations in the size and shape of the various containers. Each set of arms 2l, 25 on shaft `Il coacts with a similar set of arms on shaft H to brush down with a successive left and right movement the body and neck labels on a single bottle in the manner described. The three sets of arms on shafts Il and Il enable rapid action by the brushing device and this number may be varied a-ccording to the capacity of the labelling machine.

It will be understood that the operation` of the neck-label brushing devices is the same as that described in connection with the` neck-band brushing devices, and that the shapes and rela- While a preferred movement of the invention has been illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereby and is susceptible to changes in form, detail and scope.

We claim:

l. In a device for simultaneously applying a plurality of spaced labels to a container, the

combination of a support, a plurality of holders on the support, spaced to substantially correspond with the relative positions at which several labels are to be applied to the container, a guide on each holder, for engaging correspondingly spaced portions of the surface of said container to follow the contour thereof, a brush on each holder and spaced from the corresponding guide and shaped to substantially conform to the contour of said corresponding container portion, and means for relatively moving the container and support for simultaneously advancing the brushes over the labels to apply them to the container, said guides being positioned in advance of said brushes for engaging the container before said brushes and guiding the brushes as they follow the contour of the container. v

2. In. a device for simultaneously applying a plurality of spaced labels to a container, the combination of a support, a plurality of holders pivoted on the support, spaced lto substantially correspond with the relative positions at which several labels are to be applied to the container, a guide on each holder for engaging correspondingly spaced portions of the surface of said container to follow the contour thereof, a brush on each holder spaced from the corresponding guide the holders move about their pivots to follow the contour of the container.

3. In a device for applying a label to a container, the combination of a pivoted holder, means relatively moving said holder and container toward engagement in the direction of application of the label, a brush on said holder, and a guide'on said holder spaced from said brush in the direction of the relative approach of said container for engagement thereby to swing said holder about its pivot and engage said brush with the label, the said relative movement causing the brush to move over the label while directed by said guide to follow the contour of the container.

4. In a device for applying a label to a container, the combination of a pivoted holder, means relatively moving said holder and container toward engagement in the direction of .application of the label, a brush on said holder, and a guide on said holder spaced angularly about the holder pivot from said brush in the direction of the relative approach of said container for engagement thereby to swing said holder about its :pivot and engage said brush with the label, the said relative movement causing the brush to move over the label while directed by said guide to follow the contour of the container.

5. In a device for applying a label to a con- ;tainer, the combination of a pivoted holder, a guide thereon for engaging the container, a brush on said holder for engaging the label, means for relatively moving the container and holder toward engagement in the direction of application of the label, and means positioning said guide in the path of the container for engagement thereby to swing said holder about its pivot and engage said brush with the label, the said relative movement causing the brush to move over the klabel while directed to follow the contour of the container by said guide.

6. In a device for applying a label to a container, the combination of a pivoted holder, a guide thereon for engaging the container, a brush on .said holder for engaging the label, said brush and guide being spaced apart on said holder, means for relatively moving the container and holder toward engagement in the direction of application of the label, and means positioning said kguide in the path of said relative movement for engagement by the container to swing said holder about its pivot and engage said brush with the label, the said relative movement causing the brush to move over the label while directed to follow the contour of the container by said guide.

7. In a device for applying a label to a container, the combination of a pivoted holder, a guide thereon for engaging the container, a brush on said holder for engaging the label, means for relatively moving the container and holder to- Ward'engagement in the direction of application of the label, and means resiliently urging said guide into the path of the container for engagement thereby to swing said holder about its pivot and engage said brush with the label, the said relative movement causing the brush to move over the label While directed to follow the contour of the container by said guide.

8. In a device for applying a label to a container, a support, a holder pivoted on the support, means for relatively moving the container and support toward engagement in the direction of application of the label, a brush on the holder, and a. guide on the holder spaced in advance of the brush in the direction of relative approach of thecontainer for engagement thereby to swing said holder about its pivot and engage said brush with the label, the said relative movement causing the brush to move over the label while directed to follow the contour of the container by said guide.

9. In a device for applying a label to a container, the combination of a pivoted holder, a guide thereon for engaging the container, a brush on said holder for engaging the label, means for relatively moving the container and holder toward engagement in the direction oi application of the label, and means resiliently urging said guide into the path of the container for engagement thereby Ato swing said holder about its pivot and engage said brush with the label, the said relative movement causing the brush to move over the label while directed to follow the contour of the container by said guide, and means normally positioning said holder with said guide in the path of the relatively advancing container.

10. In a device for applying a label to a moving container, the combination of a support, an arm pivoted thereon, means for actuating the arm about its pivot to move the end thereof into the path of movement of the container, a holder pivoted on the end of the arm, a brush thereon, a guide on the holder spaced in advance of the brush for engagement by the moving container to swing said holder about its pivot and engage said brush with the label, the said simultaneous movement of the container and arm causing the brush to move over the label while directed to follow the contour of the container by said guide.

11. In a device for applying a label to a moving container, the combination of a support, an arm pivoted thereon, means for actuating the arm about its pivot to move the end thereof into the path of movement of the container, a holder pivoted on the end of the arm, a brush thereon, a guide on the holder spaced in advance of the brush for engagement by the moving container to swing said holder about its pivot and engage said brush with the label, the said simultaneous movement of the container and arm causing the brush to move over the label while directed to follow the contour ofthe container by said guide, and means normally urging said holder about its pivot to hold said guide in engagement with said container during the label-applying operation.

12. In a device for applying a strip label to a relatively moving container, the combination of a pivoted holder in the path of relative movement of the container, a brush on said holder, a guide on said holder and spaced in advance of said brush toward the approaching container for engagement thereby to swing the holder about its pivot and engage said brush with one end of the label, and a second like pivoted holder in the path of relative movement of the container and behind the rst holder in said path for engaging its brush with the other end of the label, the said relative movement of the container causing the brushes to move successively over the corresponding ends of the label as they are directed to follow the contour of the container by their corresponding guides.

13. In a device for applying a label to a relatively moving container, the combination of an arm pivoted adjacent the path of the container, a holder on the arm, means for driving said arm about its pivot to swing said holder into the path of relative movement of the container, a brush on the holder, a guide on the holder spaced angularly about the holder pivot from said brush, and

means urging said holder about its pivot to position said guide for engagement by the advancing container to swing the holder about its pivot and engage said brush with the label, said relative movement of the container causing said brush to move over the label While directed by said guide to follow the contour of said container.

14. In a device for applying a label to a relatively moving co-ntainer, the combination of an arm pivoted adjacent the path of the container, a holder on the arm, means for driving said arm about its pivot to swing said holder into the path of relative movement of the container, a brush on the holder, a guide on the holder spaced angu- 15 larly about the holder pivot from said brush,

means urging said holder about its pivot to position said guide for engagement by the advancing container to swing the holder about its pivot and engage said brush with the label, said relative movement of the container causing said brush to move over the label while directed by said guide to follow the contour of said container, and means limiting the swinging movement of said arm at the end of the label brushing operation for causing said holder to pivot about said guide in engagement with the relatively moving container and lift the brush from the label.

CHARLES SCHMUTZER. KURT MANRODT. 

